Finding Divine Inspiration

The Finding Divine Inspiration blog is moving! Well, Sort of. This site will still be up as an archive, but I’m now blogging at my primary website, JScottMcElroy.com, as part of a grand plan to consolidate websites and blogs. The FindingDivineInspiration.com book site is also now consolidated into JScottMcElroy.com, and when The Creative Church Handbook: Releasing the Power of the Arts in Your Congregation (IVP) releases in 2015, it will be hosted on the main site, as well.

The revamped JScottMcElroy.com site is still under construction, so its a little rough, but the blog is live there. So come on over and join me! If you’ve subscribed to this site, you’ve already been added to the new site! But if you are new, just fill in the info next to the “Subscribe” button in the sidebar on the new site. Also, I’ll be sharing thoughts much more regularly than in the past.

(Note: You’ve come upon an archive site. Scott is now blogging at JScottMcElroy.com. These and fresh posts can be seen there! )

After spending 7 months sitting at the writing-table with the new book, I’m venturing out for a couple of great speaking opportunities in July.

Karitos 2014

If you are in the Midwest, consider attending Karitos 2014 in Chicago, July 10-12. It’s their 20th anniversary and I’m honored to give a featured address and lead three workshops: “How to Better Hear God’s Voice in Your Creativity”, “The Joy of Personal Prophetic Art”, and “Practical Ideas for Bringing the New Creative Renaissance into Your Church and Your Culture”. More information at http://Karitos.com.

Then it’s on to the long-awaited Creative Church Conference 2014 in Boise, July 25-27! If you at all interested in encouraging the arts and creativity in the church, you should join us! This year’s lineup of speakers and activities is stellar. This year’s theme is “The Artist in Community”. Speakers include:

Dr. Colin Harbinson (Stoneworks Global Art Initiative)

Jessie Nilo (VineArts Boise)

Jason Leith (Artist, Director of Arts, Saddleback Church )

Manuel Luz (Imagine That, Worship Director at Oak Hills Church)

Dave Blakeslee (Potter and Pastor)

Bryn Gillette (Artist)

Andrew Nemr (Dance Artist)

Cecilia Brie Tschoepe (Actor, Writer, Director)

Me

and many more.

(Look for profiles on each speaker over the next couple of weeks on the New Renaissance Facebook page. )

Plus, plenty of workshops, creative free time, performances, interaction with other artists and leaders, and more.

The event is sponsored by VineArts Boise and The New Renaissance Arts Movement (a department of ACT Intl).

New book on the way!

You may have noticed that we had planned to do a Creative Church Conference in Indy this year, as well. The New Renaissance Arts Movement, which I direct, is the main sponsor of the Indy event, and one of our biggest priorities is to get a new book out about the arts in the church. IVP (InterVarsity Press) offered to publish the book last year and I began working on it full time last November. That process took considerably longer than expected and the first draft was completed in May. Since I was tied up writing, we decided to consolidate this year’s Creative Church Conferences into the one in Boise. (We plan to do Indy again in 2016.)

Now the new book is in the editing process at IVP and we have an official title: The Creative Church Handbook: Releasing the Power of the Arts in Your Congregation. We expect it to release in Spring 2015. Thanks to all who have prayed and contributed during this process!

FDI was written over a 10 year period and is the most important message God has ever given me. Writing it was a real collaboration with Him and I still re-read it and am thrilled by what the Holy Spirit gave. I’m humbled that this message not only had a profound effect on me, but on thousands of others, as well.

I’m the author of Finding Divine Inspiration: Working with the Holy Spirit in Your Creativity and the founder of The New Renaissance arts renewal movement. On this blog I write about topics that inspire and interest me personally, and often comment on the progress we ( the body of Christ) ... Continue reading →